Cesar will form part of the session called, Exploring the Significance of Hygiene and Unleashing the Potential of Probiotics.

This session includes the following presentations:-

• Innovation drivers and opportunities in home hygiene - presented by Cesar Vargas-Razo | Principal Consultant , Sagentia Innovation
• The importance of delivering hygiene to consumers - presented by Luca Spadoni, R&D Director, Reckitt
• Unlocking the power of pre-, post- & probiotics: success, surprises and essential insights. Grasp the best to surf the incoming disruptive wave - presented by Paul Mauhin, CEO, Probiotic Group

Alternatively, you can read the interview with Cesar Vargas-Razo of Sagentia Innovation below

Question 1

We are thrilled to welcome you to Prague on April 9-10. Your participation in our new session dedicated to Hygiene is highly appreciated. Could you share your perspective on the significance of having a session specifically focused on hygiene? 

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic consumers everywhere have become increasingly concerned about hygiene, and this is reflected in global sales of relevant products that continue to grow consistently every year. And this is true for personal hygiene, our clothes, and the variety of surfaces around us, when we are at home, and we go out for work or for enjoyment. However, global uncertainty and a cost-of-living crisis mean consumers are careful with their money and not all products benefit equally from this growth, so it becomes important that we discuss and understand how to drive better sales of the brands and products we represent. 

Question 2

Can you give a short overview of Sagentia Innovation? 

Sagentia Innovation is part of Science Group, a group of companies that brings together technical expertise and experience in cleaning and hygiene products and services for the consumer, medical and industrial sectors coupled with capabilities for the assessment of the market opportunity and of potential strategic partnerships. This places us in a strong position to assist product innovators illuminate the path towards novel technical solutions for their brands, solutions that truly deliver superior in-use experiences that consumers can trust and considering the supply and value chain requirements to maximise the potential to create and capture commercial value. 

Question 3

What specific trends do you see as driving the reinvention of traditional hygiene products, and how can innovation teams capitalize on these trends to meet the evolving demands of consumers and professional users in the post-Covid-19 era? 

Innovators must look for the best way to resolve the main contradiction in hygiene. For most of the relevant hygiene needs or “jobs to be done”, most people consider hygiene and cleaning tasks as an inconvenience, something they draw zero enjoyment from; and, at the same time they cannot delegate this chore to better products because they don’t trust the solutions being offered. The “reason to believe” is not sufficiently credible or compelling. I will explore this contradiction in greater detail in my presentation at the conference. 

Question 4

With ongoing challenges such as the cost-of-living crisis, how do you believe innovation teams can navigate these obstacles to deliver new and credible hygiene products? Are there particular strategies or approaches that you find effective in such circumstances? 

People have less money to spend, especially on products they don’t particularly trust or like buying. If innovators want to persuade people to spend, particularly on more premium products, they must provide credible, compelling evidence of a level of performance that justifies premium pricing, and that doesn’t raise concerns of potential harms to humans or the environment. “Natural” has become one of many words that have become very powerful in product claims, and very misused. 

Question 5

What particular aspects of the upcoming conference are you most eagerly looking forward to? 

I really enjoyed the 2023 Conference in Amsterdam because it brought together innovators passionate about technologies and products, about consumers and their evolving needs and preferences, and about how these can lead to putting together an overall value proposition that will be commercially successful in the market. The resulting discussions were stimulating and with the potential to lead to excellent opportunities for everyone. I am looking forward to having more of these discussions and uncovering more opportunities this year in Prague